02/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - In his presentation last Friday, of the German government's estimates for growth in 2005-06, the German minister for the economy, Wolfgang Clement implicitly called on the European Central Bank to lower its interest rates. He announced growth forecasts for 2005 were down from 1.6% to 1% and that therefore monetary policy had to take into account the fact that an important country like Germany has particularly low interest rates in a period of modest growth. The Board of Governors at the Central Bank is meeting on Wednesday 4 May instead of the usual Saturday due to Ascension Day. At the end of this meeting, where the European Commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, Joaquin Almunia will be attending, Jean-Claude Trichet will present decisions to the press.